Containers used for the storage of fluids, such as beverages, are usually sealed to reduce spillage and contamination caused by exposure to outside air. Often a beverage is only partially consumed and resealed after opening. However, since the volume of fluid within the container has been reduced, potentially contaminating air is often sealed inside the container along with the fluid, causing contamination of the fluid.
For example, one may open a bottle of wine, consume only a portion of the wine, and reseal the wine bottle so that the remaining wine can be enjoyed at a later time. However the wine will only retain its flavor and quality for a few days in the resealed condition because air has entered the bottle to replace the consumed volume of wine and the air is in contact with the wine in the resealed condition. The air oxidizes the wine, which diminishes the flavor and quality of the wine.
A similar problem exists with other beverages, such as carbonated beverages, milk, or other beverages which are adversely affected by air or other gasses entering the container and coming in contact with the beverage.
A similar problem exists with other fluids, such as chemicals, either liquid or gaseous, which are affected by exposure to air or other gasses.
To counteract these problems, several approaches have been taken to minimize a fluid's contact with contaminating gases. Most of these approaches have taken place in the beverage field.
Vacuum sealers have been used to seal wine bottles in an attempt to remove as much air as possible from the wine bottle during the resealing process. These devices only pull a light vacuum, however, and do not remove all the air from the bottle. As a result, wine is still contaminated relatively quickly.
Nitrogen has been used to replace the air in wine bottles since nitrogen is less contaminating than air to wine. However, this approach is cumbersome and requires replacement pressurized nitrogen cartridges.
Patent application 2004/0081739 to Sibley describes the concept of pouring marbles, anatomically shaped or otherwise, into a wine bottle after it has been partially consumed to displace substantially all of the air in the bottle. However this approach does not allow the marbles to be removed easily from the bottle. The approach also would make pouring the remaining fluid from the bottle, after the marbles have been introduced, a very messy and cumbersome operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,311 to Litto describes a fluid preservation system that is an integral part of the fluid storing container itself and not a separate device which can be used with various or standard containers. The patent also describes, briefly, a wine preservation method of pouring conventional marbles into an opened wine bottle to displace substantially all of the air in the wine bottle. Like patent application 2004/0081739, above, this approach would make pouring the remaining fluid from the bottle, after the marbles have been introduced, a very messy and cumbersome operation. Removing the marbles before pouring the wine would also be messy and difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,033 to Marucs, U.S. Pat. No. 3,343,701 to Mahoney, U.S. Pat. No. 601,877 to Lochmann and patent application 2010/0108182 to Noonan show variations of a balloon being used in a container to replace substantially all of the air, or to expel substantially all of the air from the container. The devices described however are bulky, cumbersome, messy, and do not allow for exact placement of the device at or near (above or below) the surface of the fluid.
Patent application 2010/0108182 also shows a flat circular structure which can be placed on the surface of a fluid. The devices described however do not allow for the insertion of the device through a narrow opening into a container which is larger than the diameter of the opening. The devices described also do not allow for exact placement of the device at, or near (above or below) the surface of the fluid.
There remains a need for a simple, effective, inexpensive and reusable device and method to preserve fluid inside a container which allows the fluid to be easily used after resealing the container and storing the container for some period of time.